Advice from the PH Massive Needed - Leaving Uni?
Discussion
Right, background;
I'm 21 first year at university (had a GAP year, also back a year due to illness when I was young. So a year older than everyone else. Not a problem at all) doing a degree in Geography. I'd hoped to finish my degree, then go onto Law School and slog it out to be a solicitor (or something 'legal').
University is going fine, I have doubts about whether I should've done a degree in Geography, but generally I like the university and the course is turning out to be a good one. I have established a wide circle of friends, have loads of friends at university in other places etc. And all is very good. It's really well located and I hadn't had any thoughts about dropping out, doing anything different as I really enjoy it. Then I do have doubts because I don't know if uni is really 'me'.
I've been offered a job by a friend who has a top PR firm in London. Completely out of the blue.
Basically, I'd be a junior in the firm which has really top events on it's books. In theory it'd be a wonderful, wonderful experience and I doubt I'd ever get offered the opportunity again. But it's a case of head over heart. I know there is a lot of scope and potential within this job, I'd be starting on a really good wage (25,000 p/a) with a review in 6 months. She's an old friend of my Dad's - and she's suggested that there is the opportunity for me to become a partner in the long term. BUT my head tells me I should stick my degree out incase anything happened within this job that went wrong (face value - I can't see any). I'd have opportunities to go abroad, I'd have opportunities to work abroad (namely Singapore, Dubai, NYC, LA and Sydney) and it just seems like the most perfect, life changing opportunity.
I think the bit that it is life changing is the problem...! I still have everything at home, including horses and other responsibilities. I need to be sure of all possible outcomes before I even think about suggesting it to my dad!
So, it's over to you! Think of problems and throw them at me. It's all a bit garbled - but time's running out to make my decision!
I'm 21 first year at university (had a GAP year, also back a year due to illness when I was young. So a year older than everyone else. Not a problem at all) doing a degree in Geography. I'd hoped to finish my degree, then go onto Law School and slog it out to be a solicitor (or something 'legal').
University is going fine, I have doubts about whether I should've done a degree in Geography, but generally I like the university and the course is turning out to be a good one. I have established a wide circle of friends, have loads of friends at university in other places etc. And all is very good. It's really well located and I hadn't had any thoughts about dropping out, doing anything different as I really enjoy it. Then I do have doubts because I don't know if uni is really 'me'.
I've been offered a job by a friend who has a top PR firm in London. Completely out of the blue.
Basically, I'd be a junior in the firm which has really top events on it's books. In theory it'd be a wonderful, wonderful experience and I doubt I'd ever get offered the opportunity again. But it's a case of head over heart. I know there is a lot of scope and potential within this job, I'd be starting on a really good wage (25,000 p/a) with a review in 6 months. She's an old friend of my Dad's - and she's suggested that there is the opportunity for me to become a partner in the long term. BUT my head tells me I should stick my degree out incase anything happened within this job that went wrong (face value - I can't see any). I'd have opportunities to go abroad, I'd have opportunities to work abroad (namely Singapore, Dubai, NYC, LA and Sydney) and it just seems like the most perfect, life changing opportunity.
I think the bit that it is life changing is the problem...! I still have everything at home, including horses and other responsibilities. I need to be sure of all possible outcomes before I even think about suggesting it to my dad!
So, it's over to you! Think of problems and throw them at me. It's all a bit garbled - but time's running out to make my decision!
Personally, I kind of regret going to Uni.
Certainly in IT - it's experience that counts, and the 5 years I spent at uni would have been better used getting that experience.
I now have a degree in Chemistry, and a very good job in IT - but my peers are younger then me, they didn't go to Uni!
Certainly in IT - it's experience that counts, and the 5 years I spent at uni would have been better used getting that experience.
I now have a degree in Chemistry, and a very good job in IT - but my peers are younger then me, they didn't go to Uni!
Finish your degree. If you know you want to follow a legal career can you switch over to a law degree next academic year? Many people have successful careers without a degree, but the odds are more in your favour if you do have one.
As for worst case scenario. You drop uni next week, sell you horse, move to London. Don't get on with the job, or the people you are working with are t
ts. this results in you getting a bad review after 6 months. Where are you left?
DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Sunday 10th April 14:11
As for worst case scenario. You drop uni next week, sell you horse, move to London. Don't get on with the job, or the people you are working with are t
ts. this results in you getting a bad review after 6 months. Where are you left? DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Sunday 10th April 14:11
dazren said:
Finish your degree. If you know you want to follow a legal career can you switch over to a law degree next academic year? Many people have successful careers without a degree, but the odds are more in your favour if you do have one.
As for worst case scenario. You drop uni next week, sell you horse, move to London. Don't get on with the job, or the people you are working with are t
DAZ
I completely agree.
Finish this semester. Then leave. I was in the same boat as you (completed 2 years) when I left and I now work in a field which I have an interest and I really enjoy my job, much more than I enjoyed Uni. As it has been said before, you can always go back to uni and continue with the qualifications you will get when you leave, if this job doesn't work out. At the end of the day you only live once. No point looking back and saying "what if?"...
If you need more advice then i'll be happy to advise.
If you need more advice then i'll be happy to advise.
dazren said:
Finish your degree. If you know you want to follow a legal career can you switch over to a law degree next academic year? Many people have successful careers without a degree, but the odds are more in your favour if you do have one.
As for worst case scenario. You drop uni next week, sell you horse, move to London. Don't get on with the job, or the people you are working with are t
DAZ
Sound advice. I came very close to leaving during the final 12 months of my PhD. I was convinced to stay and now i'm very glad i did. Once you have that degree they can't take it off you. There's also the fact as to whether you want something you've worked hard at to be left unfinished?
Finish the year or semester, whichever is sooner and take the job. You can always keep the points/progress and return later at some point.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity and l'm madly jealous
but two things off the top of my head:
1. Don't see how anyone can hint at partnership when you havent even started the job. Kind of suggests it doesn't matter what you bring to the job but who you are.
2. You didn't work to create this opportunity for yourself and consequently it will have less value for you. In the long run would you be happier making your own life path?
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity and l'm madly jealous
but two things off the top of my head: 1. Don't see how anyone can hint at partnership when you havent even started the job. Kind of suggests it doesn't matter what you bring to the job but who you are.
2. You didn't work to create this opportunity for yourself and consequently it will have less value for you. In the long run would you be happier making your own life path?
Adding to what I said earlier. Would it be possible to work for the PR firm for just the 3/4 months over the uni summer break? At least you see if you like the field. They may get a future employee out of it and you've got experience as well as a degree two years from now!
Of course the danger is you prefer the London social life and don't bother returning for your second year which would be a mistake IMHO.
DAZ
Of course the danger is you prefer the London social life and don't bother returning for your second year which would be a mistake IMHO.
DAZ
Your degree is what you make of it, but a degree and no work experience to back is up is useless... unless of course you have contacts who can get you a job.
Im just finishin my final year and although my job prospects are crap, despite being predicted a 2.1, i would still do it all again without hesitation.
If i were you, id leave uni at the end of the year, you can take a gap year(s) and pick up where you left in a few years if it doesnt work out.
In which case, you would have gained some valuable life and work experience as well as having savings to go and enjoy your time at uni and chase after freshers!
Im just finishin my final year and although my job prospects are crap, despite being predicted a 2.1, i would still do it all again without hesitation.
If i were you, id leave uni at the end of the year, you can take a gap year(s) and pick up where you left in a few years if it doesnt work out.
In which case, you would have gained some valuable life and work experience as well as having savings to go and enjoy your time at uni and chase after freshers!
I've had to make a number of decisions like this in the past few years, first was to stay at uni which I was enjoying the social life but not the course, then I had to choose redundancy or move away from family or friends, then most recently I had to choose between a Job with a very large company that could have been a good career or a contract job with a smaller company that I thought would suit me more.
with these decisions, I think YOU know what to do, everyone can say what was right for them, but there not you! I left uni, moved for the company I worked for then went for the job with the smaller company, and I think all these decisions were the right one for me, but probably not for others.
If you want to be in PR and you can see yourself having the life you want, why don't you leave Uni now or at the end of term, they should let you go back and finish your course if you realise you've made the wrong decision, and that would give you 18months before you'd have to go back, mine was a 3 year course that I had to complete within 5 years of starting. So why not try the job with PR as it does sound like it's a once in a lifetime opertunity to me, then see whether it's for you or not.
and I hate to add this, but I've asked lots of people for advice about the decisions I've made, but it's only you that can make this decision!
PS... please correct spelling and grammer as you read... :-)
with these decisions, I think YOU know what to do, everyone can say what was right for them, but there not you! I left uni, moved for the company I worked for then went for the job with the smaller company, and I think all these decisions were the right one for me, but probably not for others.
If you want to be in PR and you can see yourself having the life you want, why don't you leave Uni now or at the end of term, they should let you go back and finish your course if you realise you've made the wrong decision, and that would give you 18months before you'd have to go back, mine was a 3 year course that I had to complete within 5 years of starting. So why not try the job with PR as it does sound like it's a once in a lifetime opertunity to me, then see whether it's for you or not.
and I hate to add this, but I've asked lots of people for advice about the decisions I've made, but it's only you that can make this decision!
PS... please correct spelling and grammer as you read... :-)
team underdog said:Somehow I doubt she finds any need to chase freshers
...go and enjoy your time at uni and chase after freshers!
Incidently MimiB, I am well aware of the feeling that you are missing out on life because you have a few years on your contemporarys. On the other hand, staying at the same place and riding the storm for a couple of years is always going to be easier than picking up where you left off later on.
I'm in a different position, with only 2 months to go till the end of my degree (woo and indeed hoo), but I know I'm going to feel much better with that piece of paper in my hand.
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